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The Founders Review

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Foreign registration · Montana

3 Best Foreign Registration Services in Montana (2026)

Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199) are the best foreign registration services in Montana for 2026, ranked in that order. We put Registered Agent MT.org on top for a $199 service fee for the Montana registration and a $99 agent renewal.

Written by The Founders Review editorial team

Place1
Our top pick

Registered Agent MT.org

1. Registered Agent MT.org: best for a low Montana agent renewal

$199 plus the state fee; agent $99 a year from year two
Our mark9.6out of 10

Registered Agent MT.org is number one here: Montana registration at $199 plus state fees, agent included for year one.

It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.

Its edge over Mainstay Filing is cost, which carries the most weight in our scoring.

What you get

  • The registration filing
  • A year of registered agent service

Why pick it

  • A year of registered agent service included
  • $199 over the state fee
  • Agent renews at $99

Less good

  • Covers Montana only
  • EIN costs $99 more
Visit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.Review: Registered Agent MT.org
Place2
Fifty-state coverage

Mainstay Filing

2. Mainstay Filing: best for expanding companies

$199 plus the state fee ($269 due today); agent $149 a year from year two
Our mark9.3out of 10

In second place, Mainstay Filing: $199 over the state fee, the first registered agent year included, then $149 a year.

Year two onward, $149 a year for the agent, in any state.

It costs $100 more than Registered Agent MT.org over three years, which is why it sits below it on our cost score.

What you get

  • Registration prepared and filed
  • Your registered agent, free for the first year
  • Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee

Why pick it

  • $199 service fee
  • Registered agent free for the first year
  • Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
  • Any state, same fee

Less good

  • Renewal costs $50 more than Registered Agent MT.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.Review: Mainstay Filing
Place3
Best local option

Montana Registered Agent.co

3. Montana Registered Agent.co: best for a second Montana option

$199 plus the state fee; agent $99 a year from year two
Our mark9.1out of 10

Third: Montana Registered Agent.co, for Montana registration at $199 plus state fees, agent included for year one.

It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.

Prices and features match Registered Agent MT.org exactly, so the two are close to interchangeable.

What you get

  • The registration filing
  • A year of registered agent service

Why pick it

  • A year of registered agent service included
  • $199 over the state fee
  • Agent renews at $99

Less good

  • Covers Montana only
  • EIN costs $99 more
Visit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.Review: Montana Registered Agent.co

The 3 picks side by side

RankServiceOur scoreService feeYear twoBest forLink
1Registered Agent MT.org9.6$199$99/yrLowest agent renewal on this listVisit Registered Agent MT.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.3$199$149/yrCompanies registered in several statesVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Montana Registered Agent.co9.1$199$99/yrLowest agent renewal on this listVisit Montana Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Each score is our editorial judgment out of 10 (see How we rank), not an average of customer ratings.

Montana foreign registration service pricing (2026): annual price, renewal price and three-year total

ServiceYear oneYear twoYear threeThree-year totalAgent in year one
Registered Agent MT.org$199$99$99$397Included
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497Free
Montana Registered Agent.co$199$99$99$397Included

Read from each provider's pricing page on November 12, 2026. Every service adds the $70 state fee, so it is left out above.

What decided the ranking

The Founders Review weighs five things, led by three-year cost and what one price covers at 30% each. For Montana, three-year cost is what separated first place from second.

At $397 over three years, Registered Agent MT.org saves $100 against Mainstay Filing. It came down to what the agent costs from year two.

The full method is on How we rank.

The filing, step by step

A company formed in another state registers with the Montana Secretary of State, Business Services by filing the Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign limited liability company). The state fee is $70.

After registering, the company files the annual report, due April 15.

Documents you need

  • The exact registered name and the date the company was formed.
  • A registered agent with a street address in the state; every service ranked here names itself in that role.
  • The $70 state fee, paid with the filing.
  • A date in your calendar for the annual report.

What happens if you skip it

Without registering, it cannot file suit in Montana (MCA 35-8-1002(1)). A daily penalty of $5 can apply.

Montana foreign registration service questions

Do I need to register my out-of-state LLC in Montana?

Yes, if the company transacts business there. Until it registers it cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts.

How much does foreign registration cost in Montana?

State fee $70, service fee $199.

Do I need a registered agent after registering?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Which foreign registration services do you rank here?

Registered Agent MT.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Montana Registered Agent.co ($199), ranked in that order.

What does a foreign LLC file each year?

The annual report.

Which foreign registration service is best in Montana?

Registered Agent MT.org ranks first on our method: $199 plus the state fee with a year of registered agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.

Read next

Sources we used

  1. October 2026 check of Montana Secretary of State fee page and fee sheet: standard annual report fee: sosmt.gov/business/fees
  2. October 2026 check of Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source: sosmt.gov/secretary-christi-jacobsen-continues-montana-business-suppor
  3. October 2026 check of Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source: sosmt.gov/secretary-christi-jacobsen-warns-montana-businesses-of-misle
  4. August 2026 check of Montana report due date: mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0080
  5. August 2026 check of Mont. Code Ann. § 35-8-201: mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0020/section_0010
  6. October 2026 check of Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sosmt.gov/wp-content/uploads/business_filing_fees.pdf
  7. October 2026 check of Montana registered agent statute: mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0070/part_0010/sections_ind
  8. October 2026 check of Montana Secretary of State, register a business: help.sosmt.gov/en/article/register-a-business-v0307u
  9. October 2026 check of MCA 35-8-1001, transacting business: mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0100/section_0010
  10. October 2026 check of MCA 35-8-1002, consequences: mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0100/section_0020
  11. October 2026 check of MCA 35-8-1003, application contents: mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0350/chapter_0080/part_0100/section_0030
  12. Registered Agent MT.org: pricing and service pages, read November 12, 2026
  13. Mainstay Filing: Montana service page, read November 12, 2026
  14. Montana Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, read November 12, 2026